Miss Universe Zimbabwe, Roseanna Hall, and several other African contestants are facing the prospect of missing this year’s global pageant in Puerto Rico as they race against time to secure United States (US) visas.
Hall is scheduled to represent Zimbabwe at the 75th edition of the Miss Universe competition, where the new titleholder will be crowned on November 24. However, with pre-pageant activities already underway, she has yet to obtain the necessary travel clearance to enter the US territory.
Contestants began arriving in Puerto Rico early this week for official registration, wardrobe fittings, and preliminary events, mounting pressure on Hall, alongside other affected African hopefuls, including representatives from South Sudan, to resolve their visa hurdles and join the cohort. The travel impasse has already claimed one regional casualty, with Zambia formally withdrawing its representative, Pamela Mubanga, from the competition due to the restrictions.
The delays stem from sweeping US entry curbs introduced under a Presidential Proclamation that took effect on January 1, 2026. Zimbabwe is among 19 countries subject to the partial travel restrictions, which suspend the issuance of visitor, student, exchange, and immigrant visas to nationals from the listed states, casting a shadow over African participation on the international stage.
–ChannelAfrica/Image Credits:Reuters–
